Michael van Gerwen was unable to rebound from Premier League disappointment by winning the Dutch Darts Championship as he suffered a semi-final exit at a tournament won by Josh Rock.
Van Gerwen was thumped 10-5 by Luke Humphries in the Premier League semi-finals on Thursday as his hopes of a third straight title in that event and record-extending eighth overall were thwarted.
The 34-year-old reached the last four in his homeland on Sunday following 6-1 demolitions of Chris Dobey and Danny Noppert but then surrendered leads of 4-0 and 6-4 to lose 7-6 to Jonny Clayton.
Rock took the title – his first on the European Tour – following an 8-4 success against Clayton in the final, with the Northern Irishman emotional as he was presented with the trophy in Rosmalen.
Rock: Biggest win of my career
The 23-year-old, who is now up to a career-high 18th on the PDC Order of Merit, said: “This is the biggest win of my career, 100 per cent.
“I said this weekend I was here to win the tournament. Jonny is one of the nicest men in darts. I love him to bits, but my name is on the trophy, and I’m so happy.
“I have lost in so many finals, but I keep believing that I will win, and obviously today I proved that I can.
“I have always said my next one was going to be a major title and that’s my main focus, but I have proved that I can win on the big stage now.”
Rock earlier rallied from 5-3 down to see off Cameron Menzies 6-5 in the last 16 and then defeated Gerwyn Price 7-3 in the quarter-finals, before reeling off six legs in a row to beat Martin Schindler 7-3 in the semi-finals from 3-1 down.
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Ross Smith hit a sensational nine-dart finish during his second-round loss to Dimitri Van den Bergh on Saturday
Clayton, meanwhile, beat defending champion Dave Chisnall 6-3 in the last 16, before dispatching Ryan Searle 6-2 in the quarter-finals and then Van Gerwen in the last four.
Watch the World Cup of Darts on Sky Sports
Darts is back on Sky Sports from Thursday June 27 with the World Cup of Darts in Frankfurt, at which Van Gerwen and Noppert will team up for Netherlands, Rock will partner Brendan Dolan for Northern Ireland and Humphries and Michael Smith will star for England.
Wales will once again be represented by defending champions Price and Clayton, with Peter Wright and Gary Anderson playing for Scotland and William O’Connor and Keane Barry the partnership for Ireland.
Dutch Darts Championship – Sunday’s results
Final
Josh Rock 8-4 Jonny Clayton
Semi-finals
Jonny Clayton 7-6 Michael van Gerwen
Josh Rock 7-3 Martin Schindler
Quarter-finals
Jonny Clayton 6-2 Ryan Searle
Michael van Gerwen 6-1 Danny Noppert
Martin Schindler 6-5 Luke Woodhouse
Josh Rock 6-3 Gerwyn Price
Last 16
Jonny Clayton 6-3 Dave Chisnall
Ryan Searle 6-1 Jeffrey de Graaf
Danny Noppert 6-5 Jermaine Wattimena
Michael van Gerwen 6-1 Chris Dobey
Luke Woodhouse 6-5 Ritchie Edhouse
Martin Schindler 6-4 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Gerwyn Price 6-1 Gian van Veen
Josh Rock 6-5 Cameron Menzies
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